Freemark Abbey is one of Napa’s original producers of Cabernet Sauvignon dating back to 1886 and Winemaker Ted Edwards has had one of the longest tenures. This rock star wine was intense and needed some time in the bottle. I tasted blackberry, black currant, baking spice, tobacco, leather, black pepper, chocolate and plum.

I’ve not yet visited the Napa Valley, in large part because I can’t seem to drag myself away from Italy. Rich, dark chocolate, earthy, vanilla and baking spices, blue and black fruit, slumbering perfume of violets. Full-bodied, mixed berries and crème de cassis, sticky tannin is laid on thick, laying a base of grip and traction, intense flavour, sumptuous and powerful, distinct ‘mineral’ feel, with a superb long finish, ripe dense tannin not letting you forget where it’s from, or going to. Awesome wine, but almost painfully young at present.

Ripe plum nose; dense and dark with a velvety texture and complex flavors of spice, chocolate, and black cherry. Intense but always refined and elegant, this is yet another Chris Carpenter masterpiece.

Weekend Wine Picks Winemaker Pierre Seillan likes to talk about structure and precision both are in evidence here. The red fruit is intense but hardly soft, supported by a stony, mineral undercurrent. The mid-palate is filled in with earthy savoury, leathery notes before a denouement of lightly smoked blue and black fruits and silky, dense tannins that signal a decade or two of bottle age are possible. It’s a complex Sonoma star and the definition of world class. The fruit is highly selected by the fastidious Pierre Seillan, choosing from an impressive array of sites owned by Jackson Family Farms in the Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill and Knights Valley. Every block, every tilt of land, every exposure, and the multitude of places and facets that make up any vineyard are the storytellers.

Weekend Wine Picks Every year Cardinale begins with 50-plus lots of wine that winemaker Chris Carpenter eventually reduces to a handful of complex, aromatic selections that are all about intensity, texture and length. In 2015, it was Diamond Mountain and Spring Mountain that would carry the load. Carpenter and his followers insist that the wine be different every year by taking what the land gives you. In this case, the red, floral fruit of Spring Mountain is the shell while the voluptuous mid-palate and fine, dense, silky tannins are supplied by the Diamond Mountain fruit. Volume is low the yields are down the cases are few. A slightly cooler version than 2014, the 2015 is at least as good if not better. Time will tell. If you can’t wait, a lamb leg would be an excellent match.

I tasted through some Napa wines (of which more later) and six from the Hickinbotham vintage 2017 collection with winemaker Chris Carpenter yesterday. This was the last wine tasted, though not the least. Chris tells me that he selects the Cabernet component (solo) while Pete Fraser chooses the Shiraz. It’s a bit like Hal David writing the lyrics, while Burt Bacharach writes the toons. 204 cases made from specific vineyards, and subsequent barrel selection. Blue and black fruit, a bit of earth, vanilla, subtle mint and floral elements. Deep and round, fleshy and chocolaty, plush with ripe well-submerged tannin, all so smooth and even-keeled, finishing lip-smackingly long. Classic Australian blend with no shortage of style. Puts a smile on the face.

Track this down and rip in. A brilliant example of McLaren Vale Grenache. Sourced from certified and biodynamic bush vines planted in 1946, the fruit was handpicked with 50% whole berries used in the ferment. Wild yeast employed before ten months in French oak. A gorgeous medley of fruit and savoury characters highlighted by dried herbs, char and soft spices. Red fruits and blueberries expand through the mouth with absolute ease. Licks of strawberry coulis rise up on a long on what seems a never-ending spicy finish. Devine.

Damn this is a superb Shiraz. The richness and density just pull you in. The asking price has gone up $5 from the 2016 release but just pay it. There's plenty of Shiraz wines for $50 that wouldn't come close to what is on offer here. A fifth of the ferment was made with 25% whole bunches. Wild yeast fermented, it saw 25% new French oak for 16 months. Certified organic and biodynamic. As with the 2016, purple and blue fruit aromas reign supreme. Some cedar and dark chocolate are evident too. It's lush to taste. Dark plums are joined by blueberries and mulberries all roaming about consuming the mouth with silky feels. Savoury notes sit in the background courtesy of the whole bunches with brick dust tannins to finish. Superb drinking really.

377 dozen made. Second release of a Grenache from Hickinbotham, though the vineyard is old. Slightly reductive on opening, then into all that spice and dried herb perfume, raspberry, strawberry, and a scoop of brown earth. Medium-bodied, fresh, savoury tasting rather than fruity, a little roast lamb and thyme/rosemary thing going on, firm sandy tannin, really pushing out on the finish with exceptional length and drive. Go McLaren Vale Grenache.

Preferred this Shiraz over the Cabernet this year. See, I told you I was ill. Black and red fruit, thyme and spice, roasted meat, touch of liquorice. Medium-bodied, well-defined, freshness of/and flavour, grainy but persistent tannin, energy and length. A lot of character and interest. Really very good.

This is a really complex carignan that shows raspberries, dried herbs, cedar, quartz and iodine. Full-bodied, layered palate that’s very structured and well defined, the acidity weaving elegantly through a solid center palate and beautifully crafted tannin backbone. Drink now or hold.

Lots of dark-berry and chocolate character with hints of smoky wood now. Full-bodied, juicy and flavorful. Soft and round tannins.

This opaque and midnight purple colored red blend from Bootleg opens with a blackberry bouquet with a hint of blueberry in the background. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, rich and extracted. The flavor profile is an extracted blackberry jam with notes of boysenberry and oak. I also detected hints of chocolate and stewed plum in the background. The finish, features lengthy tannins that are very sticky. This wine has been recently released and now I know why it was held back. That said, there is no way readers will guess this wine is mostly Merlot. It could easily sit in the cellar for many years. If you are interested in it in the near term, decant it and serve it with Roy’s rib-roast. It was still showing strong on day three.

There’s a sense of coolness to this wine, from the deep, rosy black-cherry color to the foresty fruit— black plum and blackberry with an evergreen edge. That freshness includes a gingery spice and the scent of asphalt after a rain. This is a balanced, medium-weight cabernet, delicious with duck, or with meaty roast eggplant.

Plenty of sour cherries, but also some bark, smoke and wild-herb notes. Medium-bodied carignan with rather elegant tannins for this grape. Drink now.

From biodynamically farmed, old vines, this is a brilliant example of why this region and variety are gaining such renown. Aromas of bright red berries, florals, tar, white pepper and herbal tonic lead into a silky yet structured palate that is light to medium-bodied. The aromas carry through to the palate, knitting them together with spicy, earthy tannins and crunchy acidity. It's refreshing, austere and joyful all at once.

This blend of 58% Grenache, 24% Shiraz, 18% Mourvèdre offers layers of blue and black fruit, warm stones, tarragon and iodine. The palate is sandy in texture, with a burst of crunchy acidity that balances the powerful, structured tannins.

This dark ruby colored Cabernet Sauvignon opens with a black currant and oak bouquet. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, balanced and smooth. The flavor profile is a tasty gentle black currant and cherry blend with notes of oak and refined minerality. I also detected hints of black plum towards the end. The finish is dry and its moderate tannins build-up and last for quite some time. This Cab would pair very well with Roy’s rib roast.

This light yellow colored Chardonnay from Stonestreet is very good. It opens with a light vanilla oak and gentle pineapple bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, nicely balanced, soft and smooth. The flavor profile is similar to the nose, with a gentle vanilla cream and pineapple blend. I also detected hints of Anjou pear, lemon and a touch of minerality. The finish is dry and fades away nicely. This finesse Chard is extremely food friendly. I would pair it with oven roasted crab stuffed Alaska halibut.

USA, California: Sonoma 2017 Vintage The 2017 Pinot Noir Edmeades Vineyard has a pale to medium ruby-purple color and lovely scents of spiced cranberry sauce, warm blueberries, raspberry and strawberry preserves with black fruit, tangerine peel and warm spice hints. Light to medium-bodied, it has good concentration of spiced fruits in the mouth, with very soft, silky tannins and juicy acidity, finishing long.

Lusciously spiced, with finely grained and supple flavors of cherry tart, mocha and hot stone, supported by medium-grained tannins. The silky finish features a creamy texture.

This is a serious and sophisticated wine that is full bodied, luxurious in its pear and honey flavors and smooth and mouthcoating in texture. Tasty nuances of vanilla, toasted almonds, and lemon cream emerge on the palate and linger long on the finish.

From historic vines biodynamically farmed, this is a broody, big and multifaceted wine. Cassis, black licorice and mocha mingle with a mix of mint, clove and tarragon. There's a warm stoney mineral streak, too. Fine-grained tannins are covered with plush, tangy berry fruit and lead to a long herb-flecked finish. One for the cellar.

Deep copper color. So many melons on the nose (watermelon and cantaloupe), white peach, it’s floral but not too perfumed; there’s a lovely blend of roses, wildflowers and hay, like a breezy open field. Plush texture yet vibrant acid on the palate, juicy, tangy fruit (red apple, watermelon, red cherry). I get complex notes of herbs, earth, dried flower petals, and there’s a mineral undertone that’s really attractive. Delicious yet subtle, this rose really stood out. Blended from five parcels in estate vineyards in Mendocino.